Car-coupling



UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE..

PHILIP S. KNOT'IS AND 'PHILIP lll. IVOLF, OF FELLOIVSVILLE, TEST TIRGINIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,854, dated May 12, 1896. Application iiled April 5, 1895. Serial No. 544,669. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, PHILIP S. KNOTTS and PHILIP MVOLF, citizens of the United States, residing at Fcllowsville, in the county oi Preston and State of lVest Virginia, haveiuvented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of couplin gs wherein a headed link is employed and adapted to opera-tc with a swin gin g jaw or detent arranged to engage the link and thereby retain it in the draw-head; and the object of the invention is to'provide a coupling of this class which will be more eflicicnt and durable than any heretofore known, and one which may be operated with greater ease than ordinarily.

lVith these ends in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts that will be more fully described hereinafter, and finally embodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed after the manner of our invention, only one draw-head being shown; Fig. 2, a horizontal section thereof; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. l, a detail perspective of the swinging detent, showing it detached from the remaining parts and together with its actuating-spring; Fig. 5, a detail perspective of the link-steadyin g weight; Fig. (i, a detail perspective of a modified form of link; Fig. 7, a detail section taken horizontally just above the detent.

The reference-numeral l indica-tes the frontend of a freight-car to which we have shown our improvements applied, though this is not essentially a freight-car, since the invention is applicable to all kinds of cars.

2 indicates the shank or draw-bar, which extends rearwardly under the car and which is connected thereto by any approved means. rlhe draw-head 3 is formed integral with the shank or draw-bar 2, and consists of an approximately square box provided with the bell -shaped or outwardly-flaring orifice 4, which communicates with the chamber 5 of the interior of the draw-head. The chamber 5 is formed on the right-hand side with a fixed catch or shoulder 6, while the opposite side is formed with a counter chamber or orifice 7. This orifice 7 is provided with an opening S at its lower end, which passes down through the bottom of the drawdiead 3, and which is attended bya segmental depression il, formed adjacent thereto.

Vertically alined with the opening 8 is the semicircular passage 10, which comm un icates with the oval-shaped passage ll, and which forms one end thereof. The passage ll is adapted to permit the insertion of the linkretaining detent l2, which is shaped to correspond with the shape of the passage ll and which is of a size capa-ble of being received in the counter-orifice 7, and of swinging therein. rlhe detent l2 is provided with a downwardly-cntendin g trunnion or journal 13, adapted to revolubly fit within the opening or passage S, while the upper end of the detent is provided with a similar extension ll, round in cross-section and adapted to fit within the semicircular passage l0. By these means the detent l2 is rockably mounted in place.

Formed integral with the extension ll, and longitudinally alined therewith7 is the extension l5, which is angular in cross-section and provided with the operating-wheel l@ and lever 17. The lever 17 extends normally longitudinally, and together with the wheel 1G furnishes a means for rocking the detent l2. Formed in the left-hand side of the draw-head and communicating with the counter-orifice 7 is the opening 18, in which the coil l0 of the spring 2G is arranged. The spring l0 is formed of stout steel wire an d has one end extending rearwardly alongside the left-hand side of the draw-head, and provided with an inwardlyextending spur which passes into an opening in said draw-head, whereby the parts are connected to each other. The remaining end of the spring 2O extends inwardly from the coil 19 and is adapted to engage the left-hand side of the detent l2, while the detent is provided with a depression or recess 2l, in which the free end of the spring is adapted to lie when the detcnt operates to retain a linl; in place. Securely fastened, by means of screws 22, to the left-hand side of the draw-head is the plate 23, which operates to cover that end ot' the spring 2O which lies on the outside of the draw-head, and this plate is formed with an opening or recess l on its inner side, adapted to receive that portion of the spring which is adjacent thereto, so that the plate will be allowed to lie snugly against the side of the drawdiead.

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The chamber 5 has its bottom formed with a rearwardly-slanting incline, adapted to have the end of the link rest thereon, so that the link will be in elined outwardly and upwardly from the daring orifice et. The purpose of this construction is to place the link in position to receive the adjacent car in the coupling operation.

25 indicates a weight, which is provided with the journals or trunnions 2G, adapted to be rockably seated in the recesses 27 of the upper side of the draw-head. This weight 25 is adapted to hang down into the chamber 5 and to bear upon the upper side of the link when located in the chamber, so as to press the link down upon the inclined bottom of the chamber 5. The weight 25 is capable of swinging upwardly on its journals or trunnions, and to permit this movement and to receive a portion of the weight the opening 28 is formed in the topv of the draw-head- Through this opening the weight may pass when being raised by the introduction of the weight and when being inserted into the chamber 5.

29 indicates a cap-plate, which is formed with a downwardly-openin g recess 8O therein, adapted to occur directly above and to register with the opening 2S and to furnish a space into which the weight may move when raised out of its normal position.

3l indicates a series of screws, preferably two, which pass through the cap 29 and into the draw-head, and which operate to hold said cap in place.

The upper end of the passage 11 is formed with a square or rectangular portion 32, which is adapted for the reception of the correspondingly-shaped block 33, iixed to or formed integral with the cap-plate 2f). This block is provided with a vertical simieircular passage 3i, adapted to be located alongside the passage lO and to form between the two a round passage capable of properly journaling the extension 14: of the detent.

The link for use with our coupling may be of any kind wherein a head is provided to form shoulders at each side of each end, and we have shown one as the preferred form with the heads 35, one for each end of the link, and having the openings 3G therein. The purpose of the openings SG is to furnish a means for using the link with the usual pin.

The modified form of link in Fig. G is substantially that of the other figures, with the exception of the absence of the openin gs 36. This form of link is adapted for use on passenger-cars, and has for its object to prevent rattling and useless play of the parts. This end is attained by forming the link with the elongated points 37, one for each end, and adapted to engage the rear extremity of the chamber or cavity 5. It will be understood, of course, that one drawhead is attached to each end ofthe ears, and with cars so equipped the coupling operation is performed by movj ing the two ears together, thus causin g the link to be forced into the chamber or cavity 5. This will be attended by a swinging of the detent l2 to the rear, which will continue until the head 35 passes the detent, whereupon the detent will be free to return under the ini'luence et the spring 20. As the detent returns it moves the link to the right, so as to throw the should er of its head into engagement with the shoulder 6 and so as to throw its righthand edge into engagement with the opposite or remaining shoulder of the head. As the link enters the cavity or chamber 5 it raises the weight 25 into the recess 30 of the plate 29 and causes said weight to bear down upon the upper side of the link, which will throw the outer end thereof up and into position to pass into the oriiiee 4 of the adjacent coupling.

Changes in the form andy proportion of the several parts of our invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and since these changes will suggest themselves to any skilled mechanic we do not propose to limit ourselves to the precise construction herein showu, but consider ourselves entitled to all such variations as come within the scope of our claims.

IIaving described our invention, what we claim is l. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head having a cavity on the interior thereof, a detent rockably mounted in said cavity and on a vertical axis, a spring arranged in an opening in one side of the drawhead and engaging the detent, one end of said spring being projected to the outside of the draw-head and secured thereto, and a plaie fixed to the draw-head and over the said end of the spring, whereby itis retained in place, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided at one side ol its mouth with a vertically-disposed fixed catch 6, and having at its opposite side a vertically-disposed shoulder and provided in .rear of the same with a vertically-disposed recess 9, a link provided at opposite sides with the shoulders, one of the shoulders engaging the fixed catch 6, the vertically-disposed horizontalljrvswinging detent l2 journaled in the recess 9 in rear of the shoulder, and adapted to engage the link, and bearing against and supported by the said shoulder when in engagement with the link, and a vertically-swinging weight pivoted at the top of the draw-head, and located in rear of the catches, and adapted to press the link downward and capable of yielding to permit the necessary movement of the link, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto afiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

PIIILIP S. KNOTTS. PHILIP M. VOLF.

lVitnesses:

WILLIAM E. STAFFORD, JAMns W. Ronnvson.

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